Ripples in Royalty

Chapter Ninteen

The man dragged Thaddeus through the castle, leading him to a room in a tall tower.

“You better tell me what the fuck happened to Eris or Cygnus help me I will end you here and now.”

“What would I tell you? I do not even know who you are.”

“Because I told you to,” The man said, unsheathing a knife. “And I swear by Cygnus if you do not tell me the maids will be cleaning your intestines off the floor by nightfall.”

“I cannot tell you unless you first tell me who you are,” Thaddeus said, trying to stay calm. “How am I to know that you are not one of the people whose face is plastered across this city a hundred times over?”

“I would not be inside the castle walls if I was a criminal?”

“How would I know, there are so many of them after all.”

“I am the heir to the throne,” The man said. “I am Hemlock Malum, now tell me what happened to my sister or I will tear you to bits.”

“If you are their heir you can get me an audience with your Monarch.”

“It would not matter, she will not listen to the likes of you.”

“I am the crown prince of Evirome and engaged to your sister. If she will not listen, who will?”

“Me.”

“What are you going to do about an escaped convict? If your monarch will not tell Eris anything, why would she tell a hot head such as yourself?”

Hemlock’s eyes widened.

Then he slammed Thaddeus into the wall.

“What a prisoner,” Hemlock shouted. “What did they do to my sister?”

Thaddeus raised his arms, “Relax, Eris is fine now, the convict is secure in our prison. I just need to know how to safely transport him back to you.”

“What. Did. He. Do. To. My. Sister,” Hemlock said through gritted teeth.

“He tried to kill her during a festival, but he failed. We caught him and Eris was able to recover swifty.”

“Which prisoner was it?”

“I do not know, I was unable to get his name because he could not speak.”

“What was his number?”

“I do not have it memorized, just let me get it from my bag.”

“618664.”

“What.”

“618864. Is that his fucking number?”

“I believe so.”

“Yes or no, is 618664 his fucking number!”

“Yes,” Thaddeus responded, trying to squirm his way away from the furious man.

Hemlock released his grip, breathing heavily. “Shit.”

Thaddeus balled his hands into fists, trying to stop them from shaking. “Prince Hemlock,” Thaddeus said, his voice trembling. “How worried should I be?”

“Very,” Hemlock said, raising his head to meet Thaddeus’s eyes. “Very, very worried.”

♠♠♠

Leif hadn’t spoken to Aldric since he had overheard him talking to Randolf.

Aldric had hurt people, and he had probably enjoyed it too. He was just like his damned mother. It was only a matter of time before he completely lost it and rejoined his mother, afterall he already did it once.

Randolf, of course, had forgiven him. He was too madly in love to see anything besides the act that Aldric put up.

Leif wanted to take his family and flee, run as far away as he possibly could. He could never do that. He could not bring himself to separate Fran and Rob from their favorite uncle.

What in Hell am I going to do?

♠♠♠

The annoying prick of a prince followed Hemlock around as he hurriedly stuffed a bag full of provisions.

“What is going on?” Thaddeus asked him. “You just started running around.”

“I am getting ready to leave,” Hemlock said, throwing some dried food into the bag.

“Where are you going.”

“Back to wherever you came from.”

“I need an audience with your queen first.”

“Monarch,” Hemlock snapped, spinning around. “She is the Monarch, and she will not listen to your pathetic pleas. And you should not bother trying because there is a person currently within your borders who is suspected of multiple murders. If you want Eris to be his next victim, by all means stay and try, unsuccessfully, to meet with the Monarch. But, personally, I like the idea of my sister continuing to live and breathe, even if it is in your deplorable borders.”

“What?”

“You are never going to get a -”

“Who is in my borders.”

“A murder, were you not listening?”

“How many people?”

“Six. All nobles.”

“How?”

“We do not know.”

“Then how do you know it was him and all the same person?”

“His callcard, he carves the word ‘gehenna’ into their left collar bone and triple sixes into their right.”

♠♠♠

Eris had been confined to her rooms, guards at every door and window.

618664 had somehow escaped.

Not a person in the castle knew how or where he was now.

Soldiers went after the prince, reading to guard him against whatever 618664 was.